Clutch-lock for automobiles.



sTaTEs PATENT onirica v FRANK 'H, cooN, or MINNEAPOLIS, inmmiso'rai* CLUTCH-Loox ronAUToMoBILEs.

f Patented May' 19, 1914. Application filed December 19, 1913. Serial No. 807,633,

To all whom it may concern:

Be Ait known that I, FRANK H. Coon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, inthe county of Hennepin andl State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and,useful Improvements in Clutch- Locks for Automobiles; and I do hereby de.- clare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and'usethe same.

My invention has for its object to provide ai'i extremely simple and highly effi cient clutch' lock for automobiles, and to such ends, generally stated, the invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims. j L

It is a Well known fact that the clutch of an automobile'is kept in operation by the pressure of a foot of the chauffeur on the clutch lever and when the foot is removed, the clutch lever is automatically moved to throiv the clutch out of action. Hitherto, a denioiintable or detachable casing-,has been ,Wrapped around the stem of thezclutoh lever. -betiveen the foot piece thereof, and the toe board, but such a device isv subjectI to the i stein of the clutch objection that it is liable to become lost, or

misplaced, and hence, not available for use when Wanted.

My invention provides a lock lever which is pivoted to the toe board adjacent to the lever and is adapted to be turned to and from an operative position, to rest upon the toe board ivlien'out of use, and to be turned under the foot piece of the clutch lever and locked to thesaid lever,

' when it is desired to lock the clutch lever position.

with the clutch in an inoperativeor open In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention, likeharacters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a view ,partly in side elevation and partly in4 section illustrating my invention applied in position; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the lever locking device removed vfrom working position; Fig. 3 is a plan elevation of the same; and Fig. 4 is an elevation looking at the free end of the lock lever with the lock proper removed.,

The numeral 1 indicates the heel board and the numeral 2 the toe board of an automobile, the said toe boardha'ving'the cus- Specication of Letters Patent.l

t'omary passage 3 forthe stein of the clutch lever 4;. This clutch lever 4 is provided with the customary foot piece 5 at the upper'end of its stem.'

. The lock lever 6 is preferably channelshaped in cross. section, being advisably formed from sheet steel, and 4at its lower end pivotally connected by a strong double vheaded rivet 7 tothe upper end of a metallic anchoring bracket 8. This anchoring bracket 8, as shown, is formed with a rectangular body portion that is extended noi-mal or inoperative position, and the said lock lever is -then turned into an operative position show n by full lines in Fig. 1, its free end will straddle the upper en 'of the clutch lever'stem insuch closefeiig gement With-the foot piece 5 that the said lever cannot be forced into a position to render the clutch operative. To secure the lock lever 6 in such operative position, it is'shown as provided 'with a rigidly secured metallic yoke 9," preferably constructed of hardened steel and having laterally bent ends, to one of which ends, a pad lock 10- is pivo'ted at l1. The other laterally bent prong of the said yoke 9 is made hookshaped or is pro- 'vided with a lock notch 12, and the case of the pad lock 10, at one side, is vprovided withan opening adapted to receive the said notched end ofthe yoke. The pad lock may be of any suitable type having a detent for engagement Ilwith the notched end 12 of the yoke 9. Preferably,l the said'lock 10 is of the general type known to the trade either as a Yale or Eagle lock, which type of locks have' keys of such different character that there are practically no duplicate keys.

The lock 10 is ofsuch'foi'm that when it is turned into the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3, the lock lever 6 may be'freely moved to and from an operative position. .When the said lock is turned into the position shown by full vlines in Fig. 3, andl is interlocked'. tothe notchedend 12 of the yoke 9, of the yoke which securely holds the Said lock lever interlocked to thestem 0f the vclutch lever.

Obviously, a clutch lever lock of the kind described cannot be. displaced or lost and-is it forms a bridge across the ends always available for use when wanted. Its eilciency is obvious.

Inthe specification, the parts l and 2 have been respectively designated as heel boud. and toe board, because those are terms under which they are generally known,-.bnt as a broad term, they may be designated* as a' foot board or rest.- f

What I claim is:

1. The combination with n `foot board and clutch operating lever of an itomobile, said lever having a stem pertion extended through said foot board and provided With a foot piece, of a lock lever pivotedto said foot board in the vicinity of the stein of said lever arranged to be turned under into an operative position approximately parallel to the stern of said clutch lever and with its free end under the foot piece of said lever, and a key operated lock applicable to the free end of said lock lever, to thereby lock said clutch lever,

` 2. The combination with n foot board and clutch operating lever of an nntoniobilef Smid lever having a stein portion extended through said foot, board, und provided with a foot piece, of a lock lever pivoted to said foot board in the vicinity of said lever and clinch lever in an inoperative position, said loch lever having a channel-Shaped upper end adapted to embrace the stem of said clutch lever, and a key-operated loclr applicable to the chenneLShaped free end of said lever to Secure theszunein an operative position interlocked with the stem of said clutch lever.

3. The eombination with L foot board and clutch operating lever of an automobile, said lever having a stein portion extended through smid footl board, and provided With a foot piece, of n lock lever pivoted to said lfoot board in the vicinity of seid lever `and adapted to he turned with its free end under seid foot piece into a position to hold said clutch lever in an inoperative position, n Yoke applied to the free end of said lock lever and adapted to etrnddle the stem of said clutch lever, and n leyopernted lock pivoted to one of the prongs of saidyole and adapted to be interlocked with the other prong thereof, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

FRANK H. COON.

Witnesses adapted to be turned with its free end imder said foot piece into a position to held said Eheim D. KILGORE, E D. Mmcmurr. 

